Out of control hunt hounds attack pet dogs

Two dogs are recovering after suffering from an alleged attack by out of control hunt hounds in Somerset.

Pet rescue dogs, Monty and Alfie, were out walking in the Mendips with their owner at around 8.00am on Thursday, July 13th, when they were allegedly attacked by hunting hounds belonging to the Mendip Farmers Hunt.

Dave Mullin was walking the pair along a country lane in Priddy, when he says they encountered approximately 70 local hunt hounds and two men.

“I put my dogs on lead and moved to the side of the track to allow them to pass,” Dr Mullin said.

"While they were going past about 10 hounds got loose and started to attack my two dogs.”

Dr Mullin, who said he was appalled and frightened and left not knowing what to do when the hounds started to attack his dogs, reported the incident to Avon and Somerset Police and the League Against Cruel Sports, via the charity’s Animal Crimewatch line.

He said he did receive a phone call from a representative of the hunt, who apologised that his dog had been injured but said no-one knew what had happened.

"They said they were sorry that my dog was injured and then went on to tell me that no one really knows what happened, yet weren't interested to hear my side of the story.

"Both myself and my dogs are shocked and traumatised by the incident and also by the attitude of the hunt.”

Mr Mullin said Monty has been left shaken by the attack but is relatively unscathed, but that Alfie sustained injuries needing around £200 worth of veterinary treatment.

Chris Luffingham, Director of Policy, Communications and Campaigns for the League Against Cruel Sports, said:“This incident is unfortunately not isolated, but instead marks the latest in a string of hunt havoc occurrences taking place up and down the country when hunting hounds are not under control or pick up the scent of a fox.

“Reports of people, pets and livestock being disturbed, attacked or even killed as a result of hunting dogs marauding across farms, public footpaths or even trespassing in back gardens – are not uncommon.

“Hunts are also often seen crossing busy roads and railway lines with the hounds – surely not the actions of a pack following a pre-laid ‘trail’, which the hunts claim they are doing.”

The League is calling for an independent inquiry into the potential spread of bTB by hunting hounds, following a bTB outbreak at a Hunt kennels in December 2016. Government statistics showed that the number of bTB cattle outbreaks in the hunt’s area more than doubled immediately after the outbreak.

Chris Luffingham added:“Alongside the obvious harm inflicted on two pet dogs in this alleged attack, the large number of hunting hounds reportedly running loose through the countryside with the concerns surrounding bTB outstanding, is perhaps even more alarming.”

ENDS

For more information or interview requests please contact the League Against Cruel Sports Press Office on 01483 524250 (24hrs) or email [email protected]

Notes to Editors

The League Against Cruel Sports has estimated that more than 200,000 illegal hunting incidents - averaging 16,000 per year – may have been committed by hunt members since the Hunting Act 2004 was enacted. That makes illegal hunting with dogs potentially the most common wildlife crime in the UK.

Since hunting with dogs was outlawed, the charity believes most of the hunts in England and Wales have been hunting illegally by abusing hunting exemptions and using the false alibi of trail hunting.

The public can report instances of hunt havoc, suspected wildlife crime or dog fighting, to the police and to the League’s Animal Crimewatch line on 01483 361108, [email protected]

The League Against Cruel Sports is Britain's leading charity that works to stop animals being persecuted, abused and killed for sport. The League was instrumental in helping bring about the landmark Hunting Act. We carry out investigations to expose law-breaking and cruelty to animals and campaign for stronger animal protection laws and penalties. We work to change attitudes and behaviour through education and manage sanctuaries to protect wildlife. Find out more about our work at league.org.uk. Registered charity in England and Wales (no.1095234) and Scotland (no.SC045533).

Latest

Positive measures to protect animals have been announced by the government today. The Animal Welfare Bill 2018 includes an increase in sentencing for animal abuse from a maximum of six months jail to five years, and also states that animal sentience must be recognised in any future laws.

Related

Positive measures to protect animals have been announced by the government today. The Animal Welfare Bill 2018 includes an increase in sentencing for animal abuse from a maximum of six months jail to five years, and also states that animal sentience must be recognised in any future laws.

This blog post corrects many errors published in a December 2017 Metro’s article about fox hunting, in which it confuses trail hunting, drag hunting and clean boot hunting. The post sets the record straight regarding recent incidents of hunt violence and intimidation, and rebukes some of the mistruths perpetuated by the pro-hunt lobby.

Wildlife crime, including the chasing and killing of animals using loopholes in the law, came under the microscope when the League Against Cruel Sports joined forces with the police at a prestigious conference this weekend.

A county council in West Sussex has banned new tenants from using cruel and indiscriminate snares to capture live animals on its land. The ban came into force this summer and is attracting interest from other councils across the UK.

Most read

As a team, we share the same passion – to stop animal cruelty in the name of sport. We are a tight knit team and we work hard within a fun, relaxed environment. We also offer something many employers don’t – an office full of friendly dogs!

Hunting was banned in England and Wales in 2004, but the law has never been properly enforced, and attempts to weaken or repeal it continue. The hunting law in Scotland is weak, and hunting is still legal in Northern Ireland.

Hurting and killing animals for ‘sport’ is one of the principal causes of animal cruelty in the UK: tens of millions suffer and die each year for ‘leisure’ activities. We’re here to protect those animals.

Bullfighting is perhaps the most well known spectator “sport” involving the killing of animals for entertainment. It has already been banned in most countries, but each year tens of thousands of bulls are maimed, tortured and killed for entertainment in Spain, Portugal, France, Colombia, Mexico, USA, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru.

The hidden side of greyhound racing includes dogs kept for long periods in lonely kennels, painful injuries from racing and training, illness and neglect. Shockingly, thousands of surplus dogs die or disappear every year. The League believes dogs should not suffer or die for entertainment or for the profit of the dog racing industry.

The Hunting Act 2004 is the law which bans chasing wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales – this basically means that fox hunting, deer hunting, hare hunting, hare coursing and mink hunting are all illegal, as they all are cruel sports based on dogs chasing wild mammals.